Enrolment in upper secondary education, both sexes in UNICEF: West and Central Africa

UNICEF: West and Central Africa: Enrolment in upper secondary education, both sexes was 17.28 million in 2024. ▲ Rising

Latest (2024)
17.28 million
Change on year
up 0.7%
Rank
117th
of 221 groups
All-time high
17.28 million
in 2024
All-time low
3.48 million
in 1998
Years of data
27
1998–2024

Enrolment in upper secondary education, both sexes in UNICEF: West and Central Africa, 1998–2024

5.0M10.0M15.0M1998201120241998: 3.5M1999: 3.7M2000: 4.0M2001: 4.3M2002: 4.7M2003: 5.2M2004: 5.7M2005: 5.9M2006: 6.0M2007: 6.3M2008: 7.2M2009: 8.0M2010: 9.1M2011: 10.0M2012: 10.8M2013: 12.7M2014: 10.7M2015: 11.7M2016: 11.7M2017: 12.2M2018: 12.7M2019: 14.0M2020: 15.2M2021: 16.1M2022: 16.6M2023: 17.2M2024: 17.3M

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.

Analysis

In 2024, enrolment in upper secondary education, both sexes in UNICEF: West and Central Africa stood at 17.28 million. That is the highest value across all 27 years on record.

That represents a change of up 0.7% on the previous year and up 61.2% over ten years.

Over the whole period, enrolment in upper secondary education, both sexes in UNICEF: West and Central Africa peaked at 17.28 million in 2024 and was at its lowest, 3.48 million, in 1998.

UNICEF: West and Central Africa ranks 117th of 221 groups on this measure, in the middle of the range.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 27 years of available data.

Enrolment in upper secondary education, both sexes in UNICEF: West and Central Africa, year by year

Annual values for Enrolment in upper secondary education, both sexes (number) in UNICEF: West and Central Africa, 1998 to 2024.
Year Value Change
1998 3.48 million
1999 3.68 million +5.6%
2000 3.97 million +8.0%
2001 4.35 million +9.5%
2002 4.69 million +7.7%
2003 5.19 million +10.8%
2004 5.70 million +9.9%
2005 5.90 million +3.5%
2006 6.00 million +1.8%
2007 6.27 million +4.5%
2008 7.23 million +15.2%
2009 8.04 million +11.2%
2010 9.11 million +13.3%
2011 10.04 million +10.2%
2012 10.83 million +7.9%
2013 12.67 million +17.0%
2014 10.72 million -15.4%
2015 11.71 million +9.2%
2016 11.70 million -0.1%
2017 12.15 million +3.9%
2018 12.71 million +4.6%
2019 14.00 million +10.2%
2020 15.17 million +8.3%
2021 16.14 million +6.4%
2022 16.59 million +2.8%
2023 17.16 million +3.5%
2024 17.28 million +0.7%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 3.58 million 3.48 million 3.68 million 2
2000s 5.73 million 3.97 million 8.04 million 10
2010s 11.56 million 9.11 million 14.00 million 10
2020s 16.47 million 15.17 million 17.28 million 5

Countries ranked near UNICEF: West and Central Africa

  1. 114 Georgia 143,167 compare
  2. 115 Panama 121,979 compare
  3. 116 Oman 112,219 compare
  4. 117 Kuwait 108,681 compare
  5. 118 Bosnia and Herzegovina 107,936 compare
  6. 119 Liberia 106,194 compare
  7. 120 Congo 95,266 compare

See the full ranking of 417 places →

More education data for UNICEF: West and Central Africa

All data for UNICEF: West and Central Africa →

Frequently asked questions

What is enrolment in upper secondary education, both sexes in UNICEF: West and Central Africa?
Enrolment in upper secondary education, both sexes in UNICEF: West and Central Africa was 17.28 million in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest enrolment in upper secondary education, both sexes recorded in UNICEF: West and Central Africa?
The highest recorded value was 17.28 million in 2024.
What is the lowest enrolment in upper secondary education, both sexes recorded in UNICEF: West and Central Africa?
The lowest recorded value was 3.48 million in 1998.
How does UNICEF: West and Central Africa rank for enrolment in upper secondary education, both sexes?
UNICEF: West and Central Africa ranks 117th out of 221 groups with data for 2024.
Is enrolment in upper secondary education, both sexes rising or falling in UNICEF: West and Central Africa?
Over the last ten years it is up 61.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this UNICEF: West and Central Africa data come from?
The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Enrolment in upper secondary education, both sexes (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Enrolment in upper secondary education, both sexes in UNICEF: West and Central Africa. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 10 September 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/stat/enrolment-in-upper-secondary-education-both-sexes-number-2/unicef-west-and-central-africa/

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About this data

Indicator
Enrolment in upper secondary education, both sexes (number)
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics)
Coverage
417 places, 10,809 data points, 1980–2025
Last refreshed

February 2026 Data Release